With the upcoming introduction of the domestic Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) system, the Indian Army is poised for a significant technological advancement.
The missile, which was created by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), is a significant step in India’s drive for superior battlefield weaponry independence. The Army will switch from outdated imported systems to a cutting-edge, entirely domestic third-generation missile when it is operationalized by 2026.
Compared to the Army’s current second-generation MILAN and Konkurs systems, the MPATGM offers fire-and-forget technology, a significant improvement. The new technology allows soldiers to shoot and move right away, unlike the earlier wire-guided models that require operators to retain visual lock until impact. The missile’s internal seeker tracks and eliminates the target on its own after launch.
Significantly less operator exposure during combat is a critical tactical advantage of this invention. The system was designed specifically for contemporary combat situations where soldiers’ life depends on their ability to react quickly and move around.
The 2020 Galwan border battles highlighted the urgent necessity for a portable, high-precision anti-tank weapon and demonstrated the usefulness of such systems in mountainous terrain. In response, the Ministry of Defence authorized the ₹73.46 crore MPATGM project in 2015.
The DRDO’s goal was to create a man-portable version of the Nag missile family that would be suitable for airborne units, infantry, and para-special forces. Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), which established a specialized manufacturing plant in Bhanur, Telangana, by 2018, was given production duties. Testing was postponed because to the COVID-19 pandemic, but developmental work proceeded without interruption, resulting in notable improvements to the system’s seeker and propulsion architecture.
The MPATGM’s small size is one of its main advantages. Even in challenging terrain, mobility and ease of deployment are guaranteed by the system’s overall weight of less than 30 kg. The Command Launch Unit (CLU) with tripod adds an additional 14.25 kg to the missile’s 14.5 kg weight, allowing a two-person crew to operate it.
The lowest and maximum engagement distances within its operational region are 200 and 4,000 meters, respectively. Because of their broad range, infantry can neutralize enemy armor in both urban and mountainous environments as well as vast spaces like deserts.
The missile uses a tandem High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead that can penetrate both explosive reactive armor (ERA) and composite. The main charge can pass through more than 650 millimeters of rolled homogeneous armor once the first precursor charge neutralizes the ERA layer. The MPATGM has the necessary lethality to neutralize contemporary main battle tanks thanks to this devastating sequence.
The ultimate example of DRDO’s domestic sensor technology is the Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker. Even in low visibility, it provides exceptional accuracy by locking on to the heat signature of hostile vehicles.
Direct and top assault are the two attack profiles that the missile supports. It approaches the target horizontally in direct mode, making it perfect for side and rear engagements. When in top assault mode, the missile rises and then plunges sharply onto the target’s engine deck or turret, which are the most vulnerable parts of a tank. With more than 90% indigenous content, this feature puts the MPATGM’s performance class on par with international systems like Israel’s Spike-LR and the US-made FGM-148 Javelin.
In order to validate the missile’s design and guidance system, DRDO conducted the initial flight tests in Rajasthan between 2018 and 2019. Trials conducted after the epidemic in 2021–2022 showed enhanced miniaturized seeker performance and demonstrated operational reliability over the whole flight envelope.
In August 2024, a thorough experimental campaign at Pokhran produced the most significant breakthrough. Here, the missile’s precision-guided strike capability and tandem warhead efficacy under actual combat situations were demonstrated through extended field testing.
These assessments exceeded Defence Ministry standards, giving Army evaluators confidence and praising its appropriateness for close-quarters and high-altitude combat zones.
Final user evaluations scheduled in 2026 will examine the missile’s reliability under extreme cold in Ladakh and its adaptability in dense urban environments. Once these tests conclude, BDL and private partner VEM Technologies will begin full-scale manufacturing.
Initial serial production is expected by late 2026, with the first deliveries projected for 2027. With this, the MPATGM will begin phasing out imported Spike systems temporarily procured to meet immediate operational needs.
More than just a hardware improvement, the MPATGM’s introduction represents India’s developing defense industrial capability. The missile shows how Indian R&D institutes can produce top-notch precision-guided weapons while controlling national expenditures.
The MPATGM will offer frontline infantrymen a lightweight, user-friendly, and extremely deadly weapon of defense. It represents the concrete achievement of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in strategic technologies for the country.
